In New Zealand, all Restricted Building Work (RBW) must be carried out or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP). Restricted Building Work includes critical structural and weathertightness components of residential buildings, work that directly impacts the integrity and safety of a home.
If your project involves RBW, it’s important to understand how the LBP system works and what documentation is required.
What homeowners need to know.
Before any work begins, you must engage an appropriately licensed LBP to design and/or carry out the restricted building work.
Design work If restricted design work is involved, an LBP designer must provide a Certificate of Design Work (CoW). This forms part of your building consent application to council.
Building consent You can apply for building consent yourself, or you can authorise someone (such as your designer or builder) to apply on your behalf. The application must identify the licensed tradespeople who will carry out the restricted building work.
Construction stage Once consent is granted and construction begins, each LBP who completes restricted building work (for example, carpenter, foundation specialist or roofer) must provide a Record of Building Work (RoW) when their portion of work is finished.
These Records of Work are required when applying for a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) at the end of the project.
Without the correct documentation from LBPs, councils cannot issue a Code Compliance Certificate.
What about DIY work?
Homeowners can carry out restricted building work on their own home under a specific owner-builder exemption, provided certain criteria are met and a declaration is lodged with council before work begins.
It’s important to understand that this declaration remains on council records. Future purchasers will be able to see that restricted building work was completed under an owner-builder exemption.
Public Register of Licensed Building Practitioners.
The LBP scheme is administered by Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
Homeowners are encouraged to check the LPB register to confirm that their designer or contractor holds the appropriate licence class for the work being undertaken.
The public register of all Licensed Building Practitioners is available at: www.lbp.govt.nz
Skills Maintenance Requirements.
LBP licences must be renewed annually. As part of the government’s licensing requirements, practitioners must demonstrate ongoing professional development through the Skills Maintenance Scheme.
For the Roofing licence class, LBPs are required to earn a minimum of 12 skills maintenance points over a two-year period. Points are gained through a mix of compulsory and elective activities.
Ongoing skills maintenance ensures that Licensed Building Practitioners remain current with changes to the Building Code, legislation, and industry best practice.
These may include:
Reading compulsory Codewords articles
Attending industry conferences or trade events
Participating in approved training or safety seminars
